[Uterine malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa): Two case reports]

Tumors of the perivascular epithelioid cells (PEComa) of the uterus are rare mesenchymal tumors that are characterized by the expression of both melanocyte and smooth muscle markers. It is often difficult to distinguish PEComas from other uterine tumors: endometrial stromal sarcoma, smooth muscle tumors including epithelioid tumors, melanoma and clear cell sarcoma. We report two cases of malignant PEComas of the uterus, treated in two different hospitals, found in women over 60, presenting a clinical picture of metrorrhagia in a context of myomatous uterus. In the first case, the histological examination of the hysterectomy specimen found a diffuse proliferation of epithelioid cells expressing HMB45. In the second case, the question of the differential diagnosis of the PEComa with a uterine epithelioid leiomyosarcoma arose, in front of the weak or even absent expression of the melanocytic immunohistochemical markers (melanA negative and focal HMB 45). The opinion requested from a network of experts (RRePS) had made it possible to validate the diagnosis of PEComa, notably by carrying out a complement of immunohistochemistry (expression of cathepsin K) by the tumor cells. In spite of its rarity, the diagnosis of PEComa should be considered before this type of epithelioid or clear cell uterine tumor because of the possibility of treatment by targeted therapies such as the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitors.